Recovery in Western North Carolina continues into its second week after the remnants of Hurricane Helene battered the mountain communities that are still without water, internet and power.
Even without some of the modern basic needs, neighbors have rallied together to help one another as they recover and rebuild the communities that have welcomed people from around the world for decades. The days keep moving forward and there is still much going on in terms of the aftermath of this storm and an even longer road ahead when it comes to terms of recovery and rebuilding the communities that have lost almost everything. Below you will find links to articles from where to get food and water to how different areas in the western part of the state are fairing.
Here’s everything that you need to know about what is happening in some of our smaller communities, where to find supplies and everything else that is happening in Asheville and Western North Carolina.
Active search continues
The search for those still unaccounted for after Helene hit the area and sadly the death toll continues to rise as these searches recover those killed in this deadly storm.
Active search continues: Buncombe County Sheriff: ‘Actively searching river, debris’ in Swannanoa after Helene
How many people died from Helene in North Carolina: Latest numbers as recovery continues
Deaths from Helene nationwide have reached at least 227 people, according to reports from CNN and Associated Press, making Helene the second deadliest hurricane in the U.S. this century. In North Carolina, officials say 120 people are confirmed dead thus far, with that number expected to rise as rescue crews search for missing persons. The vast majority of those deaths occurred in Buncombe County.
Here’s the number of people that have died in North Carolina due to Helene as of Thursday, Oct. 10, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and officials in each county listed:
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Buncombe: On Thursday, County Sheriff Quentin Miller said 72 people were confirmed dead. No other updates have been reported since. (NCDHHS currently reports 42 deaths in Buncombe).
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Yancey: 10
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Henderson: Nine, according to Henderson County Chief Communications Officer Mike Morgan (NCDHHS currently reports seven deaths in Henderson)
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Haywood: Five
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Avery: Four
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Madison: Four
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Rutherford: Three
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Cleveland: Two
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Watauga: Two
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Mitchell: Two
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Rowan: One
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Ashe: One
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Burke: One
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Catawba: One
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Gaston: One
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Macon: One
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Mecklenburg: One
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Polk: One
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Yadkin: One
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McDowell: One
You can also find more information on this below:
Death Toll from Helene in NC: How many died in North Carolina from Hurricane Helene? See county-by-county list
‘It’ll wear you down’: First responders discuss mental health challenge of Helene relief
Road conditions in Western NC: Road closures continue. Some won’t open for months
Hundreds of major and minor roads are still closed after being washed away completely or being engulfed by landslides or so clogged with debris it’s hard to tell a road even exists.
Interstate 40 and Interstate 26 at North Carolina and Tennessee border are closed indefinitely until the infrastructure of the roads can be evaluated after rivers and mudslides damaged sections of both roads.
Here are the latest road updates in the mountains.
Road closures in Western NC: Map and which roads you can evacuate on
Updates on: Waynesville, Mills River, Chimney Rock, Banner Elk, Marshall, more
Asheville isn’t the only community that is picking up the pieces. Western North Carolina has dozens of small towns and incorporated areas that are usually a haven for tourists and locals alike. These communities are now picking up the pieces and still trying to determine what will come next.
Here are some of the latest updates from other communities in the western part of the Tar Heel state.
Wester NC town by town: What is happening in Western NC? Updates on towns ravaged by Helene
‘We don’t want you here’: NC Gov. Cooper to fall color tourists after historic floods
Western NC communities start the slow process of recovery
Much of the flood waters have receded and while much debris remains, Asheville and other Western North Carolina communities have an idea of what is left. Steps have already begun in many areas to clean-up and dig out as talks of rebuilding have started.
Find out how it is going so far with these stories below:
‘Every day is a struggle’: Mitchell, Yancey residents helping each other despite setbacks
Equitable aid for all: Asheville’s historic Black cultural center has taken on a new role in the wake of Helene
Staying in town?: Helene flooded Asheville’s arts district. A developer hopes to ‘keep the artists’ in town
Funds for Western NC: As the mountains call for help after Helene, NC legislature approves recovery funds
Help in Buncombe County: The latest on water system, schools, trash, mail, FEMA, early voting
Farmers look for aid: ‘We just need help’: Henderson County farmers hit hard by Helene
Chimney Rock set to rebuild: Despite rumors, mayor says, Chimney Rock will rebuild from Tropical Storm Helene
What category was Hurricane Helene at landfall? Why was it so destructive?
Helene made landfall near Perry, Florida, on Thursday, Sept. 26, with winds reaching 140 mph making it a Category 4 storm that ranks among the most powerful to strike the United States.
As the storm moved inland it cut a swath of destruction that is still being felt two weeks on. Millions were left without power for days and some are still waiting for it to come on.
In Western North Carolina, the area had already been hit with storms the week before causing rivers already to swell with excess rain, but Helene brought even more causing mass floods that surpassed the records held by the 1916 flood in the Asheville area.
Flood waters bring up old memories: Hurricane Helene ravaged Asheville, echoing another disaster 100 years ago
Helene by the numbers: How much rain fell in Asheville, Western NC? How high did rivers crest? How many died?
Why was flooding so bad in Western NC?: Why was Asheville, North Carolina flooding so bad? Rare weather events and climate change are to blame
Helene recovery: How to help in Western NC
Recovery from Helene is going to be a long, long road for many. Efforts have already started to clean-up communities and help neighbors re-build in their beloved mountains.
Recovery starts: Helene recovery in NC. Everything to know about safe cleanup, medication, mold and more
How to help: How to help Asheville, North Carolina storm and flood victims: Where to donate, what to do (and what not to)
Sign up for SMS texts for latest information from the aftermath of Helene
Sign up here: Sign up for text message updates and crucial information in Hurricane Helene’s aftermath
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Latest on Western North Carolina flooding: Helene recovery continues
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